


House on Fire

by TheEmcee



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Humor, Complete, Depressed Derek Hale, Depressed Stiles, Depression, Derek and Stiles are Mates, Domestic Derek and Stiles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fighting, Fire, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapped Stiles, M/M, Makeup, Mates, Mpreg, Not Beta Read, Original Character(s), Pack Fighting, Parent Derek and Stiles, Possible sequel, Probably not though, Revenge, Self Confidence Issues, Werewolf Mates, Wolf Pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 15:56:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEmcee/pseuds/TheEmcee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been four years since he ran into Derek Hale. Four years since Hale took his mate from him. And now, he's tired of waiting and he's planning on getting his revenge, one way or another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. I hope you all like this story. I wrote it a few years ago, so...yeah. And that was when only the first season was out. Sorry! Let me know what you think! R&R. Enjoy!

We all live in a house on fire. No fire department to call; no way out.

Tennessee Williams

Chapter One

Blaine wasn't one who let things go easily. Actually, it would be a safe bet to say that his entire being was dictated by his emotions, and that, coupled with his intelligence, is what made him such a deadly predator. Of course, he would never go after a human. He had been raised better than that, was superior to that, and had no intentions of sinking so low.

But Derek Hale made him want to go after a human. He made Blaine want to tear and rip and completely and utterly destroy someone. Not something; oh no, that wouldn't satisfy him enough. It had to be a someone. Like, for example, Derek Hale. God, how he loathed that man…

Hale was cocky, stubborn, stuck up, and a ruthless monster who needed to be taken down. And Blaine had made it his personal mission to do just that, and then some. He was fueled by rage, hatred, and the need to exact his revenge. Those three emotions, above all others, had been eating him alive for more than four years. Ever since his mate, Marcus, had been murdered by that…that…that monster, all he's felt was hatred, rage, and revenge. It was almost sickening. Almost. Truth be told, Blaine kind of enjoyed those emotions. They burned furiously within him, making him stronger, more focused, and more determined than ever. And given his alpha status, the power was positively intoxicating.

So much so that it gave Blaine more energy than ever and he took off, leaving his house, his car, and all of his belongings behind. He didn't mind running, considering that he was the alpha of his… Oh wait, he didn't have a pack. That was stolen from him the day Derek killed Marcus. Ever since then, Blaine had been left on his own, and while the desire to create a pack was strong, his need for revenge was stronger. Not that that bothered him; he'd rather be alone on this particular mission.

Blaine started from his home in Buffalo, New York and was now somewhere in Utah. It had taken him a good long while to run that far and he often stopped to break into someone's house to shower, eat, and sleep before he moved on. On the few rare occasions, he stayed at a roadside hotel, but never for too long. To a complete stranger, even a werewolf, Blaine traveling on foot must have seemed like a bat shit crazy idea. But it wasn't to him. On the contrary, it made sense.

While he was very well off in the financial department, he didn't want to leave a paper trail, just in case Derek sensed something amiss once Blaine arrived at Beacon Hills. Not only that, but driving in his car wasn't fast enough; he was must faster on foot. Traveling with clothes and luggage would only weigh him down that much more. And, in all honesty, he just loved to run. He loved running fast; he loved the wind whipping around him; he loved the cold and the heat bristling against his skin. The sensations he felt were thrilling, but not as thrilling as what he'd feel when he ran into Derek…

It was only a matter of time until that happened…

. . . . .

Three years had passed since Peter Hale had died and Derek Hale became the alpha of the Hale pack. So many things happened in those three years. The pack had expanded; instead of it being just Derek and Scott, Stiles, Jackson, Danny, and Allison had been thrown into the mix. It was a weird mixture as well, seeing as how Stiles and Allison were the only humans in the pack. Both Scott and Derek weren't too sure if Allison, given her blood line, would even be able to successfully become a werewolf, so she remained human. And Stiles…

Stiles had always been something else in Derek's eyes. At first, he was an annoyance; the loser best friend of his pack mate. Granted, the kid had his uses, but for the most part, he was annoying and irritating. And somehow, after he became the alpha, Derek discovered that he couldn't stand being away from the quirky sixteen year old for too long. That realization hit him in the gut with the force of a bowling ball, and he had no idea what it meant.

That was a lie. Derek knew exactly what it meant. His father had told him stories about it, but Derek had never believed them. There was no way that he could have a mate. Even if he could, there was no way that his mate was Stiles. Stiles! Of all people his wolf could find attractive, more appealing than anyone else, why Stiles? He soon found out why.

Although Stiles had his faults, they were diminished by all of his good qualities. Like his intelligence, his loyalty, his brown eyes, his smile and his laugh, his charm… There were so many of them, and Derek was starting to get used to, and like, the idea of Stiles being his mate. Eventually, he began to crave it, want it, and need it to the point where he'd go to Stiles' house, sneak into his bedroom while he slept, and watch him sleep peacefully. However, that wasn't enough to satisfy him or his wolf.

But Derek was afraid.

Stiles was his mate, yes, but what if Stiles didn't return his feelings? What if he didn't want to be with him? Did he even deserve a mate? Derek didn't think he did, all things considered. Without warning, and without telling Scott, Jackson, or anyone else, Derek took off, going as far as Oregon before he stopped to think. He remembered the stories his father had told him. Once a werewolf found its mate, it refused to even look at anyone else. That the wolf would grow restless and agitated and, in the case of a dominant wolf such as Derek's or Scott's, aggressive to the point that the wolf would want to fight. Violently, painfully, until its mate was with it and had accepted it.

And when Derek ran away, not only was he abandoning his pack, but he was abandoning his mate. His wolf, already restless from being near Stiles but not close enough, was becoming angry. It wanted to growl, shred, tear, do anything as long as it meant that it could be with its mate. Slamming his hands on the steering wheel of his Camaro, Derek turned around and drove back to Beacon Hills.

When he returned, he was met with a confused and pissed off Jackson, a puzzled and upset Allison, and Scott, who was beyond furious with him. He understood Jackson and Allison's feelings as they were the newest additions to the pack, but Scott's fury seemed out of control, even more so than when Derek said something that actually pissed him off. It was as though Scott was angry on someone else's behalf than his own. And he was right; Scott was pissed at him because of what his abrupt departure had done to Stiles.

Apparently, according to Allison, and later Scott, whom Derek had to calm down via their usual method of fighting, when Derek left, Stiles became depressed. He didn't eat as much, he wasn't as talkative, and he wouldn't leave his house, except to go to school, and even then, that was pushing it. Guilt welded up inside him as he listened to them and he took off for Stiles' house before they even finished. Sure enough, once he entered through the usual window, there was Stiles, curled up in a ball on his bed, gripping the blankets tightly. Derek's wolf whined and urged Derek to console his mate.

With any further hesitation, Derek sat down on the bed. To his surprise, Stiles didn't jump or fidget or anything like that. Instead, he sighed and turned his head so that he was looking over his shoulder. When his eyes connected with Derek's, he gasped and sat up. So many emotions were displayed all over his face that it nearly broke Derek's heart. Before the brunette could speak though, Derek was smashing their lips together, causing Stiles to moan and wrap his arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His wolf was more than pleased, and Derek didn't need any more persuasion. Gently, he pushed Stiles back onto the bed and claimed his mate.

Never before had Derek felt more complete, more calm and at peace, than what he felt when he claimed his mate. After that, he explained everything to Stiles and, much to his shock and pleasure, Stiles accepted their bond and told Derek to never leave him again. Of course, Derek complied. How could he not? Stiles was his everything; not even his pack was as important to him as his mate was.

Which is why, when Jackson came to him and asked him to bite Danny, he agreed. That was how Danny joined the pack.

Eventually, his pack mates moved on from being juniors to seniors and then to high school graduates. Allison and Stiles signed up for the local community college while Jackson and Danny went off to a university not too far away. Even though they were separated, they were still extremely close, and their werewolf speed allowed them to travel effortlessly to and fro. Scott, miraculously, got a job, and, when Stiles turned eighteen, he and Derek got their own place, a place that was big enough for them and that could house a pack member or two, just in case.

Which brought him to the present. Stiles, now nineteen, was currently at class and bored as hell, if his text messages were any indication. Derek, on the other hand, was at his old house, trying to fix it up as best he could, a project which had been ongoing since he first came back to Beacon Hills. Although it was taking him a while, it was well worth it. He wanted to have the pack all under one roof eventually, and that, along with his mate, is what kept him working on the house.

For once, things were actually going well for him.


	2. Two

Chapter Two

It never ceased to amaze him how far their odd little pack had come in just three years.

Stiles had no idea just how much his life would change when Peter Hale died. Actually, he had no idea how much his life would change when Scott was bitten and became a werewolf. But even so, his life had changed even more drastically after Peter Hale was killed and Derek became the alpha.

Derek…

His alpha, his mate, his one and only. Stiles would be the first one to admit that gay guys would definitely find Derek attractive. Anyone who had any sense would find Derek attractive. And yes, when he first saw the older man in the woods when Scott and himself went to look for the inhaler, he, too, had thought that Derek was attractive. Very much so. And the more he saw him, the more he thought so until, eventually, he was head over heels for the man. How could he not be? Derek was so damn…perfect. In Stiles' mind, at least, he was, and that's all that mattered.

The pull he felt for the man, the connection that was just there, was strengthened even more so when Derek became alpha. It became stronger and stronger every time he'd see Derek, and Stiles had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that he'd never felt like this before, not even when he thought he loved Lydia, and he never wanted to look back.

That was before Derek up and left. Suddenly and without telling Scott or Jackson...without telling Stiles. All of a sudden, it was as though his entire world had drained of color. At first, Stiles thought that he had done something to piss Derek off. It wouldn't be that hard, all things considered. But after two days, he couldn't help but feel like he had done something more than say something obnoxious or stupid in the alpha's presence. After day three, Stiles just didn't want to go anywhere, not even to school. Before, Derek had been here, at Beacon Hills, always close by, always within distance, and Stiles could actually feel him. But when he left, he left, and Stiles could no longer feel him.

That sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and Stiles found that all he could do was cry. Cry because it felt like a piece of him was missing; cry because, somehow, Derek leaving must have been his fault. Derek must have somehow figured out that he had feelings for the lycan, and so, he left, not wanting to deal with the stupidity of one dumb, little boy. Nothing anyone did made him feel any better. Not his dad, not Jackson, Danny, Lydia, or Allison, not even Scott, could make him feel any better, and by the end of the week, Stiles just curled up on his bed, his lifeless eyes staring at nothing.

Then, his bed dipped down and he sighed and turned over. There, right before his eyes, was Derek, looking just as worse for wear as he did. It made his heart squeeze and he sat up, about to say something, when Derek kissed him. And everything feel into place as Derek took him on his bed, caressing him, kissing him, and loving him in a way that wiped away all of the pain and sadness and self-doubt. Afterwards, Derek explained everything and Stiles was so shocked and happy to discover that he was Derek's mate. Him! The doubt must have been obvious in his brown eyes, because Derek kissed him and told him that he wanted no other, that there could never and would never be any other one for him but Stiles.

That was three years ago. Time flew by. Things changed. Yet everything was right with the world. Danny and Jackson were off at college, due to be home in about three weeks or so. Scott had, miraculously, found a job and was working to help out his mom and support Allison. And Stiles and Allison were both attending classes at the community college.

Actually, that's where Stiles was currently: at his Business Math One class at college. And he was bored out of his mind. He already knew the material and it was boring as hell hearing it from a monotone teacher, which didn't make the class any better. So he sent Derek a quick text. Which turned into a good fifteen text messages or so.

He couldn't help it; although he just saw him earlier that morning, he missed Derek. Too much time from his mate made him feel...empty, and he hated that feeling. Even though they were mates, and even though they lived together, Stiles just couldn't get enough. No matter what, he always wanted more and more, craved more and more of Derek, and he knew that his mate would give him more if there were more hours in the day. But work and school kept them apart more than enough, so, for the time being, the time he had with Derek was enough.

Currently, Derek was at the Hale house, fixing it up as best he could. It had been an ongoing project for him for years, one that Stiles commended him for, and he knew that it'd be a while before the house was fit to live in. Still, the thought that the entire pack might someday live under one roof made Derek hopeful and happy, which in turn made Stiles hopeful and happy. After all, even though he was human, just like Allison, he was still part of the pack, and he cared for and missed his pack mates. Although Scott and Allison weren't that far away – they were both at Scott's house, since Allison's family had disowned her – Jackson and Danny were. They were both at college and studying their asses off to achieve their dreams. Stiles was happy for them, even though he missed them. But they'll all be under one roof someday. And he'd be with his mate.

For now, that would get him through the boring class that was Business Math One.

. . . . .

Jackson sighed as he tried, and failed, to pay attention in Spanish 101. He probably would have fallen asleep had Danny not been there. His mate was taking notes on the lesson and it made him smile as he listened to the constant scribbling of Danny's pen while the teacher continued to drone on. Normally, he would have been focused and taking notes along with Danny, but for some reason, Jackson was unsettled. Almost anxious. Constantly on edge and squirm around in his seat. And it wasn't just the class; he was like this yesterday as well, and he had no idea why.

Looking over at Danny, Jackson flashed the tan teen a brief smile when their eyes met, but it didn't eliminate the concern that was blatant in those brown orbs. Sighing inwardly, Jackson knew that he'd have to call Derek and see what was up. His alpha should be able to help him with…whatever he was dealing with.

. . . . .

Sweat poured off of his back as he ran, his t-shirt tied securely to his belt loop. The wind whipped past his face, striking it viciously and causing him to squint in order to see properly. Trees and scrubs flew by him in a blur and Blaine almost laughed.

Almost.

Panting, Blaine urged his legs forward, loving the adrenaline rush he was getting. He was almost there. So close, so near; he could practically taste it on his tongue. Derek Hale's territory was only a few feet away.

So close….

So fucking close…

Grinning wickedly, Blaine laughed out loud as he slowed down and stopped. Finally, he was on Derek Hale's territory. Looking around, he snorted and shook his head before jogging forward. He could smell that bastard all over the place. But it was just his scent he picked up. Blaine could also smell the scents of others, of Hale's pack mates, and that made him smirk triumphantly.

If Hale had a pack, then he had to have a mate. He just had to. The trees thinned out and Blaine saw the remains of a burned house just a few feet in front of him.

Oh yes, if everything was as he thought it was, then his plan would work perfectly.


	3. Three

Chapter Three

Derek kissed the bare shoulders of his mate as he ran a hand down his back. Stiles turned around and looked up at him, his brown eyes full of love and warmth as a smile spread across his face.

It was five o'clock in the morning and Derek would have to get up soon to get ready for work. Classes didn't start until eight, so Stiles still had some time to rest before school. Which he needed, in Derek's opinion. School work, projects, and pack life were wearing him down even more than usual lately, and it didn't help that Derek couldn't keep his hands off of him the night before. How could he not touch Stiles? He was his mate after all, and he was looking so gorgeous in those ridiculous Batman boxers and t-shirt.

So, Derek pulled his mate down on the bed and started kissing him. Passionately. And, before either of them knew it, clothing was being ripped and hands were everywhere. It wasn't the first time they've made love. Actually, they were almost as bad as Scott and Allison. But it never lost its luster; no matter what, Stiles was always the apple of Derek's eye, and that's how it was going to stay.

Last night was amazing, and that said a lot because whenever they made love it was always amazing. And although Derek could fully function on five hours sleep, Stiles needed at least seven, and he definitely didn't get to sleep for seven hours last night. So Stiles really needed the sleep. But Derek just…couldn't stop touching him or kissing him, and it woke his mate up.

"Derek…" Stiles breathed out a sigh and cuddled closer to the older man. Smiling down at the brunette, Derek wrapped his arms around the smaller body and placed a kiss on Stiles' forehead.

"Go back to sleep, Stiles. You need the rest." Stiles shook his head and buried it in the alpha's chest.

"I don't want to go to sleep. You'll be getting up soon to get ready for work and then you'll be gone." Derek couldn't help but laugh at Stiles' tone of voice. It was an adorable mixture of a pout and a whine and hearing it made me smile.

"I know, baby. But you'll see me when I get off of work. You know you will." Stiles looked up at him, the pout obvious on his face.

"But that won't be until four!" Derek pressed his lips against Stiles', silencing his mate. Automatically, Stiles moaned and responded to the kiss, wrapping his arms around his mate and pulling him closer. He smiled when Stiles whimpered as Derek pulled away. Although he didn't want to detach himself from the younger man, he had to. So, Derek reluctantly untangled himself from the warmth of the bed and his mate, and stood up, stretching.

"Derek… Why are you such a tease?" Derek felt a smile tug at his lips. He looked down at his mate, who was curled underneath the blankets and yawning. Stiles looked tired and a bit paler than usual. Concern started bubbling within his chest and he sat down on the bed, studying his mate. A brown eye peeked open and stared at him.

"What?" Derek reached out and stroked Stiles' cheek.

"Have you been feeling okay? You look kind of worn out…" Stiles shrugged and leaned into Derek's hand.

"I am kind of tired… I went to the doctor's the other day for a check-up. If there's anything wrong, I should be hearing from him."

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to the doctor's? I would have gone with you." Stiles sat up and smiled tiredly at his mate.

"It was just a check-up; no big deal. And the doctor told me that I was probably just stressed out. Being the mate of an alpha werewolf and a full time college student can to that, you know." Derek couldn't help but laugh softly as his mate's ramblings. He had gotten used to the constant talking Stiles did; actually, he kind of liked it. It was a constant and it told him that everything was okay and normal.

"Okay, okay. I get it. Stop being the overprotective werewolf. I've heard it before." Derek got up and made his way to the bathroom, feeling Stiles' gaze on him the entire time and hearing his laughter.

"About time you admit it out loud!" Derek smirked as he got into the shower.

"If you bring it up to the rest of the pack, I will deny every single word." Turning the hot water on, Derek began to shower. He was finished in no time and, before he even realized it, he was getting in his car to go to work. Stiles stood in the doorway and watched him drive away. Seeing his mate standing in the doorway of their home made Derek's heart swell and he wished more than anything that he didn't have to go to work.

. . . . .

Stiles was sitting at a booth at a local diner with his dad, having lunch. Although he hadn't lived with his dad for a few years, Stiles still visited often and their relationship had grown because of it. At first, it had been awkward, considering that Stiles was with Derek and that the older man was an alpha werewolf. Naturally, his dad had been concerned and hesitant, but after a lot of persuasion, Stiles was able to get his dad to relax. And although his dad didn't outright know that Derek was a werewolf, he knew that something strange was going on, but he didn't pry. As long as no one got hurt, his dad was okay with, well, everything.

When Derek and Stiles had first gotten together, the brunette was unsure how to go about telling his dad that he was not only gay, but also in a relationship with Derek Hale. However, with a lot of support for Derek and the rest of the pack, Stiles finally worked up the nerve to tell his dad. It had gone smoother than he had thought, as his dad already thought that he was gay; the only thing that surprised him was that he was with Derek. And it wasn't so much surprise as it was confusion and a bit of uncertainty laced with overprotective parenting. Eventually, Stiles' dad came to accept Derek and even like him. Sort of. But that didn't matter now. What did matter was that his relationship with his dad was improving, the pack, and Derek. Oh, and maybe school, but he wasn't really worried about that.

But Stiles was worried and distracted. Prior to leaving his house to meet up with his dad, Stiles had received a phone call from the doctor's office, and the news worried him. A lot.

"You okay, Stiles?" Looking up at his dad from his taco salad, Stiles tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I'm f-fine, Dad." His dad studied him for a moment before he spoke again.

"Are you sure? I mean, you've barely said anything since we got here. That's not like you…" Taking a deep breath, Stiles decided to tell his dad. He knew that he should wait and talk to Derek about it first, but he always met with his dad for lunch after classes were let out.

"No, Dad, I'm…I'm not okay… I…"

"Is it Derek? Is he treating you okay? You didn't get into a fight, did you?"

"No, Dad. We didn't get into a fight," taking another deep breath, Stiles replied, "Dad, I'm pregnant."

Silence fell upon them as his dad thought over what Stiles had just told him. Stiles sat there, watching his father anxiously, waiting for him to think everything through. Male pregnancies weren't all that uncommon; they were just a little bit more dangerous than female pregnancies. Okay, they were a lot more dangerous than common pregnancies. Very few infants have been born from a male parent, and have lived to tell the tale. Not only was it common for the infant to die, but the male parent carrying the child usually died in child birth, despite having all of the proper medical care. Such a phenomenon was still new to the medical world, so there wasn't much doctors could do currently.

"So…you're pregnant…with Derek's child?"

"Y-yeah…" His dad stared at him and then nodded.

"Well, at least I'll reach the achievement of 'grandparent' before I die." Stiles was dumbfounded. He knew his dad loved him, but this was a big deal, and a dangerous one.

"Y-you're not…upset or anything?" His dad sighed.

"Stiles…Genim, you are my son and I'll love you no matter what. Yes, I'm concerned for your well-being, but you've always been a fighter. You're a smart kid and you know what you're doing. Just…be careful and keep me up to date, okay? On everything." Stiles smiled, feeling relieved and more sure of himself. If his dad was okay with it, then Derek should be too, right? He hoped.

"T-thanks…Dad…" His dad smiled at him and they continued with their lunch until they were done. Once they had finished, they parted ways with a hug; his dad going back to work and Stiles going over to Scott's place to talk to Allison before going home and waiting for Derek.

. . . . .

Blaine had picked up various scents at the old, burnt house. He tracked down each individual scent to familiarize himself with Derek Hale and whatever pack he may or may not have had. What he found surprised him slightly, though not entirely.

The first scent brought him to a large, lavish house. Fortunately for him, it was empty, so he had the opportunity to look around. What he discovered was a well off couple with a son, Jackson, who was off at college. From what he could smell, Jackson was definitely a werewolf and part of the Hale pack. But that wasn't all he found. Another scent, one that he recognized from the destroyed house as well, was there, almost as thick as Jackson's. Following the scent, he was brought to a house not too far from the Whittemore residence. There were lights on in the house, so Blaine didn't dare enter. Through the windows, however, he managed to catch a glimpse of a Puerto Rican couple before moving on.

Pausing for a moment, Blaine sought out the third scent, and followed it to a house near the woods. It was a big house and, from the looks of it, three peopled lived inside. Much like the Whittemore residence, there was no one home, so Blaine entered the dwelling through a window. He discovered that a human female lived there with her son, who was definitely a werewolf. The scent of the kid was thick and strong and it made Blaine's nose scrunch up. Derek Hale was doing well; that would make three pack members thus far. Sniffing and poking around, he picked up another female human's scent, one that was younger and fresher than the first one. Another pack member? Picking up some of the girl's clothing, Blaine inhaled her scent deeply, looking for traces of Hale and his pack members. A grin spread across his face when he wasn't disappointed.

That would make four pack members total. But that wasn't it; there was one last scent that Blaine would have to investigate. Following the trail, he ended up lurking around a diner, where the owner of the scent was currently sitting and eating. Taking a chance, Blaine crept up to one of the diner's front windows and peered inside. Sniffing, he soon found the owner of the scent, and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. The owner of the scent was a brunette, in his late teens or early twenties, who was eating with an older man. What disgusted Blaine most though was that Hale's scent was all over the brunette, thick and enveloping and suffocating.

And then, a sickening grin spread across his face. The brunette must be Derek Hale's mate. Why else would he reek of that bastard so much? Blaine felt accomplished and proud of himself, even more so when the brunette and the older man separated and took off. Still grinning and overturning thoughts in his head, Blaine followed the brunette in his beat up, old jeep as he made his way to the house where Blaine had last been to.

Having discovered Derek Hale's pack and his mate, Blaine edited his plan and he smirked. This was going to be so much fun.


	4. Four

Chapter Four

Derek drove home from work, anxious to get home. It was odd; he was not one who usually got excited or anxious over nothing. And although arriving at home meant that he'd be seeing Stiles, that still didn't explain his anxiety. He just couldn't understand why he was so jumpy. His nerves rarely ever got the better of him in any given situation. Yet here he was: fingers tapping against the steering wheel of his Camaro, leg bouncing up and down, and his body fidgeting in his seat as he made his way home.

It didn't help that he smelled something in the air. Something strange and unfamiliar; something he didn't recognize, but felt as though he did, in fact, know it. Crazy. He was crazy. There was no way that the strange scent he picked up was one that he knew. Derek had been a werewolf his entire life and his sense of smell was far superior to a normal human's; it didn't make sense that the scent he picked up on was familiar. His memory would have been jogged and he would have remembered the scent.

But he didn't remember the scent. All he had was a very small, very vague feeling that he did know it. The probability that he actually did know the scent was very low and he shouldn't dwell on it unnecessarily.

However…

As an alpha, he had an obligation to his pack, which included keeping them safe and secure. So he had to investigate the unfamiliar scent; whoever owned it could be a threat to his pack, and he wasn't going to allow any harm to come to his pack.

Still puzzled and concerned, Derek pulled into the driveway of his house and parked his car. Getting out, he looked over at Stiles' old, blue jeep and smiled, shaking his head. He would never understand why his mate loved that jeep so much, but if it made him happy, then who was Derek to say anything about it?

Walking up the sidewalk to the front door, he could hear the show that was playing on the TV downstairs. Opening the door, Derek stepped inside, ready to greet the younger man, whom he expected would be sitting on the couch or on the floor next to the coffee table, doing his homework. However, Stiles wasn't in the living watching the show and doing homework.

"Stiles?" He called out, wondering what the brunette was getting into.

"I'm in the bedroom." Derek looked over at the stairs when he heard Stiles' responding. Taking off his leather jacket, he hung it up on the coat rack before he threw his keys on the coffee table. He started walking up the steps, curiosity tingeing his expression.

He reached the second story and proceeded down the hall until he arrived at their bedroom. Sure enough, there was Stiles, pacing, his back facing him. His entire body looked tense, and the curiosity that had been present turned into concern and very slight panic. Something was wrong with Stiles, he could smell it, and Derek stalked into the bedroom and over to his mate. Reaching out, he gently grabbed Stiles' shoulders and turned the younger man around so that he was facing him.

Worry, fear, and excitement were evident in the brown eyes of his mate, and those emotions didn't help Derek calm down at all. Studying his mate's face, he realized that his eyes were slightly red and puffy. Had he been crying? Why would Stiles be crying? Did something bad happen? One of his hands reached up and caressed Stiles' cheek. Derek smiled, ever so slightly, when his mate closed his eyes, leaned into the touch, and released a relieved sigh.

"Stiles, tell me what's wrong?" Stiles opened his eyes and the fear and worry were more present than ever. His heart squeezed when he saw such emotions.

"I have something very serious to tell you. You might want to sit down for this." Derek shook his head.

"I'll stand." He could tell that Stiles was suppressing an eye roll.

"I'm being serious; you might want to sit down. The news I have may or may not change our entire lives. Actually, it will change our entire lives, which is why you need to sit down. If you faint when I tell you, then I'm going to freak out. And if I freak out, then our neighbors will wonder what's going on and then they'll call the cops. The cops will show up, wondering what the hell's going on, and the neighbors will tell them that they heard me freaking out and-"

"Stiles. Stop. You're rambling." Stiles nodded and took a deep breath. Derek's green eyes met those of his mate.

"Now, tell me what's going on?" Chewing on his bottom lip, Stiles nodded again and started explaining.

"Well, you know how I told you this morning before you left for work that I went to the doctors?"

"Yes."

"And remember how I told you it was just for a regular check and stuff?" Derek almost sighed; he wanted to get straight to the point, but he knew that Stiles was doing this so lessen the blow of whatever was to come.

"Yes."

"I got a phone call from the doctor's today." Derek waited for Stiles to continue. When he didn't, he spoke up.

"And what did they tell you?" Stiles shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and calm, but Derek saw his mate's bottom lip quivering, as though he were trying to hold back tears.

"Everything's fine. I'm in perfect health and all that crap. Nothing abnormal except, you know, the fact that I'm pregnant and there's a living being growing inside my body."

Derek blinked a couple of times, his mind processing what Stiles just told him. Everything's fine. Stiles is in perfect health. He's pregnant and there's a baby growing inside him. There's a baby growing inside of him. There's a baby. Growing. Inside of his mate. And it's his baby.

His baby.

Growing.

Inside of Stiles.

Releasing Stiles, Derek backed away from his mate, his mind reeling from what he was just told. His mate was pregnant with his child.

Holy fucking shit.

The news started to sink in and panic slowly took over. Torturously, painfully slow, and he had no idea what to do. Derek was barely fit to be an alpha and have a mate; there was no way in Hell that he was fit to be a father and to raise a child. He didn't deserve a child; not after he practically handed his entire family over to Kate. Having a pack and having a mate, especially one as special as Stiles, was more than he deserved; more than he had a right to ask for. But being a father…That was too much. It was too good to be true.

Panicking and not thinking clearly, Derek backed out of the room and rushed down stairs and out of the house. He needed to get away; he needed to go someplace where he would be able to clear his head and attempt to think this through. Grabbing his keys, completely oblivious to his crying mate, who was trying to stop him from leaving, Derek exited the house and got in his Camaro. Starting it up, he backs out of the driving and speeds off towards the one place where he'd be able to concentrate and think.

. . . . .

Stiles collapsed to the floor, hot tears falling rapidly from his eyes. He had no idea Derek would react this way. If he had, he would have taken Allison up on her offer and would have brought her over to their house for support. But he hadn't, and now, here he was: on the floor, torn to pieces, and having a panic attack.

Derek had left him. Again. Only this time, it was worse, far worse, because it wasn't just Stiles he had left. It was their child as well; an innocent, little being who had never done anything wrong. Why had Derek left? He promised Stiles years ago that he'd never leave him again. Yet he had. Why?

Was it because of Stiles? Because he was pregnant? Surely, that must have been it because their baby hadn't done anything wrong. But his mind wasn't able to really think about it. He still couldn't believe that Derek had left. What was he going to do now that his mate had left him? Once was bad enough. Stiles didn't know if he'd be able to survive the second time.

His phone chimed and he pulled it out, hoping and praying that it was Derek. Stiles' hopes were quickly dashed as he saw that Allison had texted him, asking him if he had told Derek about the baby and how it had went. Shaking his head, he clicked out of the text, opting to not respond. How could he? He could barely think intelligent thoughts at the moment; how could he tell her what had happened without sounding like a complete nutcase?

Again, his phone chimed. This time, it was wrong Scott, who was asking him if he were okay. Wiping the tears away, although more kept falling, Stiles sent his reply, a quick 'no', before he dropped his phone on the floor and hunched over, wanting the world around him to disappear. Back when Derek first left, Stiles had no idea why he had felt what he had felt, so it wasn't as bad. Now though, he was more experienced, having learned about what he had been feeling, and that made this time so much worse.

Time passed – he wasn't sure how much – and still his tears flowed, although he had stopped screaming and stuttering and dry heaving. Instead, he gazed blankly at the floor, his tears falling on the carpet, and every once in a while, his body would shutter. Stiles knew what was happening, if only in the back of his mind: he was shutting down. Physically, emotionally… He was barely there in his own consciousness. So wrapped up was he that he didn't even register when the front door opened and Scott and Allison stepped into the house. Nor did anything they said register. It wasn't until he felt Allison pick him up gently and walk him over to the couch did he realize that they were there. The door closed again and Scott left. But to go where?

Stiles had no idea. All he knew was that his entire world had walked out the door, leaving him alone and pregnant.

. . . . .

Scott drove fast, angrily, and dangerously. He was angry – his golden eyes showed that much – and he was hell bent on kicking the living shit out of Derek. How dare his alpha leave Stiles alone in such a state? Had the elder wolf been so out of his mind that he hadn't even thought about his mate? Growling, he sped up and drove on, towards the remains of the Hale House. That's where Derek was; he didn't need to sniff his trail to know that much. Over the years that he had known his alpha, he knew that the Hale House was a sacred thinking place, a quiet, calm place, for Derek to think.

He knew Derek would be there, which was why he was driving to the burnt remains. It wasn't that Scott didn't understand both sides of the story, because he did. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't as thick as he used to be; not now that he had Allison anyway. To him, Derek was afraid. Afraid of being a father, afraid of having that responsibility, and afraid of not being good enough. All of which was complete and utter bullshit. Scott thought that Derek was a great alpha, even if he could be a dick, and he wouldn't trade him for the world. Derek was pack. End of story.

But that didn't outweigh his anger and fury. After all, Stiles was his best friend and he was hurting. Badly. Worse than before, when Derek had left the first time. And it pained and angered Scott to see his best friend in such a state. Which is why he was going to beat the living hell out of Derek.

Finally, he turned onto the dirt road that led to the Hale House. As he expected, Derek's Camaro was parked out front and from the smell of it, he had arrived not too long ago. Growling, he threw his car in park and got out, slamming his door loudly. He didn't care if he made a lot of noise; Derek already knew he was here.

Scott stalked towards the house slowly, his claws flexing, itching to tear a chunk out of his alpha. Stepping up onto the porch, Scott sniffed, inhaling the scents around him. Shaking his head, he picked up on Derek's scent, which littered the place, and growled softly.

"Derek…"

"What are you doing here, Scott?" Derek's voice came from behind the door. Reaching a clawed hand out, Scott turned the door and found that he couldn't open it. Huffing, he glared at the wood as though it were Derek, and he was half tempted to break it down. Taking a deep breath, Scott calmed down as much as he could and he returned to his normal self.

"You left Stiles. Again. After promising him you'd never leave." He heard Derek sigh.

"I didn't leave him leave him. I just left the house. I needed to clear my head and think about…well…"

"Him being pregnant with your kid?" Derek sighed again and Scott heard him lean against the door.

"Yeah…" Scott felt a little bad for his alpha. It was obvious that the news had taken its toll on him, but that didn't excuse him for leaving Stiles the way he had.

"Allison texted Stiles, asking him how it went, him telling you about the baby."

"You knew about it?" Derek snarled, obviously upset that Stiles told Scott and Allison first. Scott rolled his eyes.

"Yes, dumbass, I knew about it. He told me a few hours ago when he came over to my house. He was freaking out about telling you and he wanted to be around his pack, to help calm him down and to get advice and stuff. And we did calm him down and we did give him advice.

"But when he didn't respond to Allison's text, I texted him to see if he was okay. He wasn't, so we drove over to your house to see what was going on. When we arrived, he was on the floor, tears falling from his eyes, not saying a word, looking distant and far away. Because you left, he shut down. Again." Derek slammed his fist against the door, causing a few cracks to appear. Scott took a few steps back, just in case.

"I don't deserve a child." This admission wasn't what Scott was expecting.

"What?" Derek growled and opened the door, his eyes glaring at Scott as he explained.

"I don't fucking deserve a child! And I sure as hell don't deserve a mate or a pack or any of this! Not after what I did; not after Kate found out about me and my family. If I wouldn't have shifted in front of her, then my family would still be alive. It's my fault they're dead, Scott! What makes you think I deserve anything for what I've done?" Scott remained quiet for a few moments, unsure about how to respond to his alpha's confession. He had no idea that Derek carried around so much guilt with him.

"Derek, what happened to your family… That wasn't your fault. It was Kate's. She acted and it's because of her actions that your family died. Not yours, hers. We all know that, especially Stiles. And somewhere, deep down inside of you, you know that too." Derek hung his head and nodded, not really believing Scott's words, but knowing that, someday, he eventually would. Looking back up, Derek took his keys out of his pocket and started walking towards his car. Scott stared after him for a moment before he started following.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. I've got a mate to comfort and an apology to give him." Scott shook his head but smiled.

"About time you man up a bit. You're going to be a dad. You should be excited and happy and stuff." Derek nodded.

"I will be, once Stiles and I talk everything over." Scott opened his mouth to respond when his cell phone went off. It was Allison. He answered immediately.

"What's up, baby?"

"Scott! You need to get Derek and get him back home. NOW!" Confusion, concern, and anger flashed across his face, and Derek stood beside him, listening in on their conversation.

"Why? What's happening?"

"I went to make Stiles some soup in the kitchen. He said that he was going outside for a minute to get some fresh air. I heard some noises outside and went to go check on him. But when I opened the front door, he was gone! His cell phone was on the ground and his jeep was dented, but he was gone!" Scott shared a look with Derek before answering.

"We're on our way."


	5. Five

Chapter Five

Derek knew that he shouldn't have been speeding, considering he was going almost eighty in a forty-five, but he couldn't help himself. Stiles, his mate, his pregnant mate, was missing and probably in danger. He had to get home as soon as possible; he'd be able to pick up on Stiles' scent and find him. The sooner he found Stiles, the sooner he could apologize for being such a dick and the sooner everything would be patched up.

Why was this happening now, of all times? Just when Derek had a little bit of sense knocked into him, something had to happen to Stiles. If the younger male was in any sort of danger, Derek would go ape-shit. He didn't tolerate a lot of things when it came to the safety of his pack, but that was especially true where his mate was concerned. And especially now, what with Stiles being in a delicate condition. Not that Stiles couldn't take care of himself, because he could. But there were so many what it's going through Derek's mind that he pushed any and all capabilities that the brunette had out of his mind. Besides, Stiles was, more likely than not, still upset at Derek for leaving, so he wasn't emotionally fit to really do any serious thinking at the moment.

Just thinking about all of the things that could have happened to Stiles made Derek press on the gas pedal harder and it wasn't long before he was pulling into his driveway. Allison was standing on the front porch, tears falling from her eyes and her arms wrapped around her. Derek got out and examined the dent in his mate's jeep. Inhaling deeply, he stood up and was quick to pick up Stiles' scent. It was very familiar and warm and so very…Stiles. But that wasn't the only scent he traced. There was another scent as well, the same one he had discovered earlier, prior to coming home. Releasing a snarl, he sniffed again, almost completely oblivious to Scott and Allison.

"Derek?"

He ignored Scott and started walking, following the scents. Whoever had Stiles was going to die. End of story. It was as simple as that. This was his territory and Stiles was his mate. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it; someone was going to die when Derek got his claws into them.

"Are you fucking listening to me, Hale?"

Derek proceeded into the woods, knowing that he was barely controlling his rage and fury. He was surprised that he hadn't changed yet, but, then again, he had been a werewolf his entire life.

"Derek fucking Hale, you listen to me right now!" Green eyes narrowed and Derek turned around, snarling. Scott was glaring at him as well and they were both close to losing it.

"What do you want, McCall?" Scott's brown eyes narrowed and he growled.

"I just texted Jackson. He's on his way home with Danny. If you want, I could pick them up and we can meet you somewhere."

Derek thought for a moment. If Stiles had been taken by someone else, then there was a possibility that they weren't alone. If that was the case, then he'd need to have other pack members with him. There was the possibility that a fight would ensue, one that would lead to one or more casualties. However, Derek just didn't have enough facts or information. All he had to go on was Stiles' scent and the unknown scent, both of which he was in tune with at the moment. If he followed those scents, then he'd find not only Stiles, but also the abductor.

"Fine. Do what you will. If I need you, I'll call." Scott nodded and he looked a bit relieved.

"Good. Allison and I will go and meet up with them. The sooner we're together, the better." Derek had his back turned and was following the two scent trails before Scott even finished his sentence.

Picking up his pace, but trying not to be too impatient since he wasn't sure who he was dealing with, Derek continued further into the woods that surrounded his home. Within minutes, his home had grown much smaller, and it would soon disappear from sight completely. He started running slowly, tracking the scents and he found himself weaving around trees at an almost ridiculous pace. Surely, whoever had taken Stiles wasn't human; no human could create such a pattern accidently or purposefully – at least, not without hurting themselves in the process. As there was no smell of blood in the air, Derek figured that he was dealing with a werewolf.

After running for a good fifteen minutes or so, Derek stopped dead in his tracks. He realized where the scent trails were leading him. Growling, he wanted nothing more than to running as fast as he could to his old house and find Stiles. But what if it was an ambush? What if there were a lot of them? Stiles would, more likely than not, be used as a bargaining tool if the other werewolves wanted to do some sort of exchange. Regardless, he needed to give Scott a call and tell him where to go. Reaching into his pocket, Derek expected to grab his phone. Instead, there was nothing. Cursing silently, Derek turned around and ran back towards his house.

In his haste, he had left his phone in his Camaro. His temper flared and he had to force himself to remain calm. Any sort of rash, careless thinking could cost him Stiles and their unborn child. Derek arrived back home in what seemed like a few seconds and he nearly broke the drivers' side door off of its hinges in an attempt to get his phone. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door as calmly as he could and slid inside, grabbing his phone. Dialing Scott's number, he waited just a few seconds before Scott picked up.

"What's up?"

"Scott. Take Jackson and go to my old house. I'll already be there. Just make sure your asses get there."

Without waiting for an answer, Derek hung up and was about to get out of the car when his green eyes caught something. A yellow piece of notepad paper had been stuck underneath one of his windshield wipers. Narrowing his eyes, he stepped out of his car and lifted the wiper to grab the paper. Holding the paper with both hands, Derek's eyes read over the neat and organized hand writing.

Derek Hale,

Let's settle our old score once and for all. A fight between the two of us. Who knows? You just might come out victorious.

See you soon.

Crumbling the note in his clawed hand, Derek saw nothing but red as he tore off for his old family home.

. . . . .

Considering that he was still alive and in good health, Blaine was in a good mood. It hadn't been all that hard to knock the human out and carry him back to the decrepit house. Even with the extra luggage, he was still fast, so it didn't take him all that long to unceremoniously dump him on the bed upstairs. He left and raced back to the home and found that it had been deserted, save for Derek who was too blind to see what was going on around him. Blaine easily slipped the note under the windshield wiper and took off, knowing that time was off the essence. Before too long, Derek Hale would find the note and be on his way here.

And then, the real fun would begin.

Sure enough, Blaine's sharp ears pick up fast approaching footsteps. Derek, in his haste and anger, wasn't as quiet as he normally should have been. Smirking, Blaine gazed down at the bound young brunette, whose hands were tied to the bed frame and whose ankles were wrapped together in duct tape. Even if Derek Hale were to gain the upper hand, Blaine had a trick or two up his sleeve. Either way, he would get his revenge.

A soft groaning catches his attention and he glares down at Derek's mate. It won't be long before the brunette wakes up and then, things will really get serious. For Derek, anyway. Heading down the burnt steps, Blaine left the house and waited for Derek's arrival. About five minutes or so later, Derek ran out of the woods and into the clearing around the house. Pausing, he sniffed the air and growled. That's when Blaine attacked. Running as fast as he could, eyes glowing red and clawed hand ready and waiting, he tackled Derek, claws scratching and tearing.

Snarling, Derek, who looked just as menacing with his alpha features, pushed Blaine off of him. But that only allowed Blaine more time to attack yet again. Giving Derek time to get up and charge, Blaine smirked and he ducked the other's blow, in turn giving Derek one of his own. It was all a game, for minor wounds would heal within seconds while more serious ones would take just a little longer, though not much. But, in all honesty, Blaine didn't want to serious injure Derek Hale; not yet at least. He wanted to wear him down, to make him suffer, because he knew that Derek was well aware that his mate was inside the house. His heart beat gave him away. Suffering, that's what Blaine wanted for the other alpha. For Derek Hale to suffer at his hands like Blaine suffered.

"How does it feel?" He asked the other male after he had him pinned to the ground, his claws digging into flesh.

"How does it feel to have your mate in danger and knowing that he could die because of you?"

Derek roar with fury and his features twisted. He was changing so soon? The battle had barely begun and he was playing his trump card already? Blaine laughed him and punched him hard in the face.

Let Derek Hale go alpha. He'd need the extra strength. After all, he was losing, losing to Blaine, to the man who had sworn revenge for Derek Hale killing his mate.


	6. Six

Chapter Six

Everything was happened too fast for him to keep up. As soon as Derek arrived at the burnt remnants of his house, he was hit. Hard. By another body. And then, all he could feel were claws scratching and tearing at him. Although he was caught off guard, he quickly found his bearings, and he started to counter whoever it was that was doing this. But, as soon as the attack had occurred, it ceased and the other werewolf was nowhere to be seen. Oh, Derek heard his heart beat and smelled his scent, but he was a bit distracted. After all, this werewolf, whoever he may be, stood between him and his mate. Knowing that simple fact made Derek even angrier and he knew that his eyes were glowing red.

As soon as he was up and scanning the area with his eyes, another attack made him collide with a tree. The force of the collision broke the tree in half and Derek growled loudly in frustration. His own claws tried to tear and rip at his attacker, but the other either dodged them or knocked them away as though they were weak and feeble attacks. It angered him even more and Derek could feel his control slipping. Sooner rather than later, he'd turn into the alpha that he was and then it'd all be over.

Or so he thought.

The other werewolf was smirking at him, all arrogant and superior, as though he knew for certain that he was going to win this. Derek fought him off and smirked himself when he kicked the stranger off of him and sent him to the ground. Leering down at him, Derek howled, calling out to his pack, and raised a clawed hand to attack. But the other was too swift and he tackled Derek to the ground. Grabbing onto his black hair, he slammed his head down onto the ground as hard as he could and Derek was at a loss as to what to do. It seemed to him that, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get an upper hand on his attacker.

"How do you like it, Hale? Your mate is tied up in your decrepit house and the only thing keeping you from him is me."

More taunts. They only fueled Derek's anger and he roared as his fist connected to his assailant's head. He was knocked off of him and Derek rolled over to the side, his arms grasping his head. Although his wounds were healing quickly, the affects stayed with him, especially the confusion and dizziness. Groaning and panting, Derek struggled to get to his feet, but was kicked in his head by the other. Gasping in pain, Derek glared up at him, his eyes turning back to red.

"Who the hell are you?" The werewolf towering over him smirked and knelt beside him. Closing his eyes, he laughed and opened them again to reveal the red orbs that marked him as an alpha.

"Do you…remember when you and your sister stayed for a brief period of time at Buffalo, New York?" Confusion tinted Derek's glare and he stared up at his assailant as though he were insane. Odds were that he was.

"Vaguely. But what the hell does that have to do with anything?" The other's smirk turned into a cold, evil grin and he barked out a laugh.

"It has everything to do with everything, you stupid fool. You're so arrogant and stuck up that you don't even remember that murdered my mate!" Derek's eyes returned to their green color and widened. Had he…had he really don't that? In all honesty, Derek could barely recall anything from his short stay in Buffalo. It had been over four years ago, after all.

"Still clueless, Hale? I'm not surprised; you're not exactly the brightest Crayola in the box. But since you forgot, allow me to enlighten your memory." Derek was grabbed around the throat and slammed into the ground hard, creating an indentation on himself in the soil. His clawed hands scratched and tore at the hand around his throat, but the other paid them no heed.

"Buffalo, four years ago. A family of three burns to death in a fire. Police caught the suspect a week afterwards, but you, oh divine one, took matters into your own hands. Two days after the fire, you located and killed my mate, Marcus, the alpha of our pack. It was only the two of us then, so he wasn't as strong as he could have been. Still, even though you were weaker, he died by your hand. Marcus wasn't a fighter; he would harm anyone who hadn't done anything to him, which is why you were able to kill him. You stole my entire life away, and now, I'm here to return the favor."

. . . . .

Stiles had the worst headache imaginable. Seriously, it was a constant, insistent pounding that was made worse by the loud howling from outside. Wait a minute… Loud howling? Was Derek here? Where was 'here' anyway? He had to find out. Trying to sit up, Stiles was pulled back down. Glancing up, he saw that his wrists had been tied to the bed posts. Groaning, he looked down and realized that his ankles had also been bound, but by duct tape.

Great.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

Sighing to himself, Stiles decided to look around the room. He was pleasantly surprised to find that he was in Derek's old bedroom at the burnt Hale house. Although Derek and the pack, including himself, had been fixing it up as much as they could whenever they got the chance to, a lot of work still needed to be done. Regardless of that fact though, Stiles was just glad that he knew where he was. The situation would be even worse if he didn't.

Sounds of fighting from outside snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned to head. Straining himself, he tried to look out of the window, but found that he couldn't. Sighing in defeat, Stiles collapsed onto the bed and focused on the sounds of the fight from outside.

. . . . .

"You stole my entire life away, and now, I'm here to return the favor." Blaine seethed down at the pathetic excuse of an alpha and he raised his free hand. He was going to tear Derek Hale's throat out and then he was going to kill his mate. His revenge would then be complete, and he'd be able to return home.

So wrapped up was he in his own thoughts that he failed to hear the thundering footsteps approaching. It wasn't until they were a few feet away that he noticed them, and by then, it was too late. A large blonde collided with him and sent him flying. A smaller brunette knelt beside Derek and helped him to his feet. The brunette's eyes glowed yellow and his features had changed into that of his lycan self. Roaring with rage, eyes burning red, Blaine clawed at the blonde on top of him and scrambled away from him. His red eyes looked from the blonde's violet eyes to the brunette's yellow and then, finally, rested on Derek's.

The alpha was panting and growling, his features shifting to that of the alpha. Glancing from the alpha to the two betas, Blaine knew that he'd have to resort to his back-up plan.

"Allison!"

The exclamation wasn't all that loud, but his superior hearing allowed Blaine to hear Derek's mate's voice. His eyes tore away from the pack before him to the house and he heard that two heartbeats, instead of just one, were upstairs in the bedroom. A smirk slowly formed on his face as Blaine observed the house for a moment longer before looking back at the pack. Surely, the girl was the mate of one of them. If he put his back-up plan into action, then he'd be getting rid of two mates instead of just one.

With his mind made up, Blaine straightened up and smirked at the three werewolves in front of him. Backing away from them slowly, heading towards the house, he laughed at them.

"Okay, okay. I get the hint. I'm outnumbered. There's no way I can beat you in a fair fight now…" Blaine's red eyes narrowed and his smirk turned vicious and deadly.

"Thank God that this isn't a fair fight."

With that, he tore off for the house as fast as he could. Within seconds, he had disappeared from the pack, leaving them confused and anger. Blaine made his way into the house, towards the rooms that he had drenched in flammable liquids. Taking a lighter out of his pocket, he grabbed a drenched piece of torn cloth and lit it on fire. The fire turned bright and strong and Blaine laughed cruelly as he dropped it onto a pile of soaked wood.

In barely a few seconds, the pile of wood ignited and a grand fire began to spread and take over the house.


	7. Seven

Chapter Seven

"Allison!"

Stiles was never as happy to see the brunette as he was right now. When he first heard the footsteps coming up the stairs, he thought it was that guy who kidnapped him, but he had been wrong, much to his relief. When Allison stepped into the room, he felt safe. He had a member of the pack with him, which meant that Derek and Scott had to be somewhere nearby. Right? Well, at least Scott would be nearby.

"Stiles! Oh thank God you're okay. I've been so worried about you. Had I known that something would've happened to you, I would have gone with you." Allison made her way over to the bed and started untying his wrists.

"Hey, don't sweat it. It's not like you knew that this was going to happen. And hey, things could've been worse. I could have been maimed, raped, killed…the list goes on. Speaking of which, did you know that the BTK killer's initials stand for 'Bind them, torture them, and kill them'? I read about it-"

"Stiles, you're rambling." He stopped talking and sighed. Yeah, he had been rambling. Again. But he was nervous and worried.

Why had he been knocked out and kidnapped? Why had he been brought here? What the hell was going on? He felt the bindings holding his wrists loosen and, within a few moments, his wrists were free. Sitting up, Stiles rubbed his wrists and took a look around the room he was in.

He was in Derek's old bedroom at the Hale house. But why had he been brought here? Looking down at his ankles, he knew that he'd have to tear the duct tape off and he set about doing so while he talked to Allison.

"So what's going on? Why am I here? And why are you here?" Allison helped him with the duct tape, which stuck to his jeans and skin.

"Well, Scott took off after Derek when we arrived at your place. Apparently, he was able to get Derek to come back, but you had been…well, you know. After that, Derek practically went ballistic and he searched for you and for who took you." They pulled the remaining duct tape off of his ankles and Stiles threw it on the floor. He'd get it later, if he remembered.

"So what's going on outside? I thought I heard howling." Allison's look of concern worried him and he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What's going on, Allison?"

"It seems that there's another alpha werewolf in the town, and for some reason, he's after Derek. The two of them were fighting when Scott, Jackson, and I showed up. Danny's on his way but…" Allison trailed off and she sniffed. Stiles sniffed as well and his body tensed up. Standing up, his legs trembled slightly, but he managed to stay standing.

"Do you smell that?" Allison nodded at his question.

"Yeah. It smells like…smoke."

A sinking feeling slammed into Stiles' gut and he wondered what the hell was going on and why there was smoke. Derek didn't smoke and neither did Scott. As far as he knew, from the commotion outside and by his own assumptions, the guy who had kidnapped him was outside fighting with Derek and Scott, and Stiles had no idea if he smoked. Could there be a fire somewhere close by? Or worse…could the house be on fire?

"Hey…Allison?"

"Yeah, Stiles?"

"You don't think that the house is on fire…do you?"

. . . . .

Blaine laughed as he heard Derek growl and roar in frustration, panic, and anger. He could hear the two betas try to calm him down and keep him from running into the house. But they didn't fool Blaine; he could tell by their heartbeats and their voices that they were just as worried and panicked as Derek was. It made him giddy with excitement. No matter what happened to him tonight, be it his death or the murder of the man he hated with all his mind, heart, and soul, it would all end tonight and he'd be victorious in some way. Even if he didn't kill Derek and was killed instead, taking the alpha's mate along with him was worth it.

Over the crackle of the flames and the roar of the fire as it continued to spread and engulf the house, Blaine couldn't hear exactly what Derek and his betas were saying, but he didn't give a damn. No matter what they tried, they wouldn't be able to save the two humans. He realized that he was being incredibly arrogant and smug, but given the situation and the circumstances, he figured that he could allow himself the pleasure of relishing in the pride of his actions.

That was, until he felt a strong, heavy weight push him into a nearby wall.

. . . . .

Derek watched, his heart racing wildly in his chest, as his house caught fire once again. Shock took hold of him for a good few minutes as he watched the flames grow larger and larger and spread throughout the first floor of the structure. It was as though history was repeating itself. What was he going to do? Had he caused this just like he caused the fire that took away his family? Was there anything he could do? Clenching his fists, he growled and allowed his anger and panic to wipe out the remnants of shock.

Of course there was something he could do! He was the God damned alpha for Christ's sake; he had a duty to his pack. It was his responsibility to take care of his pack, which meant that he had to go into that house and save Allison and, above all else, Stiles. His mate, his pregnant mate, was inside that house, the house that was becoming enveloped in flames and there was no fucking way he'd let Stiles die. Derek was the alpha of his pack now and he was going to do whatever it took to rescue Stiles and Allison, even if it cost him his own life.

Snarling, he started towards the burning house and was about to make his way up the stairs when he was grabbed. His red eyed gaze turned to Scott and then Jackson and he roared, struggling to break free. Time was of the essence, didn't they see that? Didn't they comprehend that?

"Let. Me. GO!" Scott growled at him and, with Jackson's help, they pulled Derek further from the house.

"What are you doing? Stiles is in there!"

"So is Allison and so is that bastard. But we need to figure things out before he barge in," Scott growled at him and Derek snarled and tried to break free.

"Let me go, Scott. NOW." Jackson growled softly and jerked Derek, causing him to surge backwards a ways.

"Derek, we need to know who's going to go and get Stiles and Allison. We can't all go in after them; someone needs to take that sick bastard out before he can go after them."

"We don't have time!"

"You guys go and get him! I'm going in after Stiles and Allison." Derek's head snapped to the left and he saw Danny run up and enter the house with a speed that stunned him for a brief second. A very brief second. Knowing that Danny was here and was going to retrieve Stiles and Allison calmed him down a little bit and he relaxed slightly in his betas' grips.

"Danny's got them. Now, let's go and kick some ass." Jackson released his hold on Derek and charged into the burning building. Scott laughed and let go of Derek.

Derek stared at the house, his house, where his family had perished. That wasn't going to happen again. With a roar of anger, he took off for the house and burst into the flames of hell, growling and searching for the sick bastard that did all of this. When he heard something hit a wall, he looked up and saw that Jackson had slammed into the other werewolf. The impact was so severe that the wall started to crumble. It didn't help that it had been burnt and was on fire, but Derek relished in the cry of pain that tore from his enemy's throat.

"Scott! Go get Allison. Derek and I will handle this prick." Scott nodded at Jackson and made his way up the stairs.

Looking upwards, Derek could hear Danny, Allison and Stiles and it appeared as though they were unharmed. Feeling much better than he had been when the fire first started, Derek stalked towards the other alpha, anger rolling off of him in waves. Jackson stood back to allow him access but kept his hold around the throat. Derek grabbed the other's shirt and lifted him up. Around them, the fire consumed more and more of the structure. Beams and wood began to fall and crash onto the floor, but he didn't give a shit. This maniac tried to kill his mate and his pack…his family and he wasn't going to allow him to go unpunished.

"You don't like…it when…your mate's threatened…do you…Hale?" The other alpha smirked down at him and Derek snarled. He pulled one hand back and stared into his enemy's eyes.

"Why?" Derek growled out, wanting to know why he and his pack had been targeted. The other merely sneered and laughed a cold, humorless laugh.

"Don't you remember…Buffalo? If you do…then figure the rest…out." Not wanting to hear any more nonsense, Derek roared and tore out the werewolf's throat.

He could only vaguely hear footsteps clambering down the stairs and out of the burning house. Derek was too preoccupied with watching the blood seep from the wound. It was funny in a way; he didn't think he'd ever have to kill another alpha, not ever since he had killed Peter, but he had. Not that he was ashamed of it, because he wasn't. Protecting his mate, his child and his pack was the most important thing in his life and he was going to make sure that they stayed safe.

Jackson pulled on his jacket and hauled him away from the body. Flames burst and roared all around them and Derek came back to his senses. He scrambled to get out of the house with Jackson at his side and was relieved when they successfully made it out alive and well. Running away from the burning and collapsing building, Derek spotted Stiles, Danny, Allison and Scott standing safe and secure within the range of trees that surrounded the house. Relief flooded his entire being and he stumbled over to Stiles, who looked shaken and pale, but otherwise unharmed.

"Jackson! Thank God. I thought that something bad had happened…" Danny embraced Jackson and the two of them stumbled back a ways. But Derek's focus didn't waver from his mate, the only person in his life that he loved, truly and deeply loved.

"Hey…" His voice sounded foreign and strained to his own ears. Stiles looked up at him with his gorgeous brown eyes and, before the younger man could respond, Derek pulled him into a tight hug and kissed him. It was a short kiss, but it was filled with passion, regret, and love. Reluctantly, he pulled away and nuzzled his mate's jaw line.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Derek's hold around Stiles' body tightened and he sighed softly as he inhaled his mate's scent. Stiles returned his embrace and buried his face in his neck, releasing a shaky sob.

"It's okay…I love you…" Derek smiled softly and kissed Stiles' temple.

"I love you too."

In the distance, the sirens of fire trucks and police vehicles could be heard, and Derek knew that he'd have to explain to Stiles' Dad what had happened. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that his pack was safe and, more importantly, so was his mate and unborn child.


	8. Eight

The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other.

Mario Puzo

Chapter Eight

Six years later

Derek listened and watched quietly as his pack hung out in the backyard of his house. Scott and Stiles were in the grass playing with the youngest members of the pack: Jesse McCall and Laura Hale. The two kids were chasing the grown men around and hollering and carrying on. Ten years earlier, the scene before him would have annoyed him and he would have had a headache because of it. Now, however, it was the norm and it was welcome, even if Scott and Stiles always acted like the children themselves. But Derek couldn't complain, not one bit, not considering that everyone was happy and everything in Beacon Hills was peaceful.

Allison was sitting down on the ground talking to Danny and Jackson was sitting not too far from them. He had just sat down after chasing the kids around with Scott and Stiles. Had Derek not had work earlier that day and was tired as hell, he probably would have joined them. But, he had had a long, stressful day at work and he needed some time to relax and let his muscles calm down. Besides, he loved watching Stiles and Laura play; seeing them together, even when they were asleep on the couch, always made him feel like everything was all right, like he was doing a good job and was the alpha, mate, and father that he needed to be. They alone gave him all of the hope, encouragement, love, and support that he needed. Granted, the rest of his pack members did the same thing, but it was always more appreciated when it came from Stiles and Laura.

And Derek was so thankful and glad to have them. After he had ripped out the rogue werewolf's throat and had been led from the house, he watched as it burned to the ground. All of his and the pack's hard work was devoured in the angry, haunting flames. Even though the fire department tried their best to quell the roaring flames, his house was in disrepair. Now, all that remained of his family home was a clearing on the property and the charred soil and remnants. Nothing stood there; no new grass grew there. It was all ash and memories, both good and bad. In a way, he was kind of glad that nothing stood on the property anymore. Seeing everything burn to the ground allowed him to overcome the guilt and regret he had felt about Kate and his family.

The weeks and months after the fire had proved to be difficult for him, however. It wasn't easy letting it go and moving on from the place he had once been for so long. But life around him had been changing. Stiles was pregnant and was growing more and more every day. Allison was also pregnant and was happy and so excited, as was Scott. In a way, things had started falling into place and everything was going well.

Until Stiles went into labor. That had been an extremely stressful, worrying, and taxing day. The entire pack plus Stiles' dad were in the waiting room. Derek was by his mates' side the entire time, giving the younger man his support and a hand to squeeze to death. And squeeze to death is exactly what Stiles did. Even though he wasn't a werewolf at the time, he gripped Derek's hand hard enough to make the alpha grind his teeth together. Thankfully, the doctor and nurses in the delivery room knew what they were doing and before Derek and Stiles knew it, their darling daughter, Laura Chase Hale, had entered the world. She was beautiful and Derek fell in love with her instantly. Of course, he already loved her, so loving her even more was not a problem.

Once Stiles and Laura were cleared to come home a few days later, Derek took the day off and the spent the day together. Surprisingly enough, Laura was a very good baby. She slept through the night and rarely through a fuss. Considering that Stiles had been a very rowdy and rambunctious baby, Derek figured that their daughter took after him in the mood department or something along those lines. Regardless of who she took after most though, it was apparent from the beginning that Laura was Stiles and Derek's daughter.

A year later, Derek gave Stiles the Bite and his mate made it through successfully. Although Stiles didn't have to be a werewolf to be Derek's mate, he wanted it. Not because of the power and whatnot, but because it would enable the younger man to protect himself and their daughter more effectively.

As everyone came into their own, Derek finally did remember what had happened in Buffalo, New York. A lot of what he remember was in bits and pieces though, but with the help of his pack, he had been able to put enough of the puzzle together to see the picture. And when he had finally realized it, Derek had wished that he had continued to forget.

When he was traveling with his sister, a good time before she had returned to Beacon Hills without him, they had stopped to stay in Buffalo for a little while. It wasn't a planned stop, but local news had reached them about animal killings and they decided to see what was up. Within months of their being there, they discovered a pack of two, much like themselves: Marcus and Blaine. Laura wanted to make contact with them and question them about what was going on; if they were in on the attacks, then Laura and Derek would be somewhat responsible. At least, that was how Laura saw it, but she didn't want to rush in blindly. That was how Laura had been: understanding, caring, and fair. It took a long time for Derek to become fair and to learn and understand.

Instead of waiting and doing as his sister told him, Derek allowed his anger and hatred of Kate and himself to cloud his judgment. Innocent humans were dying because of what appeared to be animal attacks. Innocent humans who had done no wrong and didn't deserve to die. Innocent humans…like those in his family. That was the cord that struck Derek and he decided to act upon it. Somehow, he managed to surprise Marcus and kill him. The fight…well, it hadn't been much of a fight. From what Derek could tell when he remembered what had happened, Marcus had never been one to quickly anger. No, he had been a lot like Laura. And Derek killed him. When Laura found out, she was furious with him and beat the living crap out of him. As it turned out, it really was an animal that had been attacking and killing humans, a rabid animal that Laura had put an end to. They left Buffalo that very same night and Derek forced the memories to the depths of his mind and left them to be forgotten.

Going through all of that, remembering what he had done and what had resulted because of it, had been hard. To Derek, it was as though he had just moved from the self hatred and loathing and had turned around and returned to it. Almost. Stiles Laura, and his pack had prevented him from slipping back into that mind frame.

Years had passed by quickly, too quickly for his liking, but there wasn't much he could do about it. It seemed as though it was only yesterday that he had seen Laura for the first time after being born, and now she was a five year old little girl. And Stiles…Stiles was still as amazingly active, intelligent, and, well, Stiles. More importantly, he was Derek's, all Derek's.

For once, everything was perfect.

. . . . .

"Come on, Jesse! God, I swear, for someone on the lacrosse team, you are so slow." A sixteen year old Laura Hale looked back over her shoulder at her best friend, Jesse McCall, who was catching up to her.

"I'm not slow, Laura! It's just… I don't see why we have to come here. You know we're not allowed. Your dad told us to stay away." Laura rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"I just wanted to come here, that's all. Besides, have you ever stopped to ask why we're not allowed to come here? After all, everyone in town knows about the two Hale fires and we've never even seen the place?" Jesse scoffed at her, but followed her regardless.

"There is no 'place' to see. It burned down, remember?"

"So? I still wanna see the remains. There's no harm in that, is there?" Jesse paused and looked at her. He could see her logic and nodded in agreement.

"No, I guess there's no harm in it. But let's be quick. We're supposed to be at the movies and I really wanted to see that zombie one!" Laura laughed at her best friend and shoved him.

"You're such a weirdo."

"You're the one who's the weirdo. I mean, who goes around looking at burnt remains of houses?"

"Werewolves, of course."

The two of them continued up the small hill that led to the clearing where the Hale house once stood. Neither one of them was aware of the red eyes watching them from the dark shadows of the forest. Neither one of them was aware of what was going to happen to them next…

The End


End file.
